Back (SEPTEMBER 17 - 23) for a final fling
Tennis player Azman wheels out of retirement to defend title
A LOVE for tennis an nd a chance to prove himself has led to national wheelchair tennis player Azman Hasan (pic c) coming out of ret irement.
The grandfather of two hung up his racquet after failing to win a medal at the Incheon Asian Para Games in 2014.
But the lure of playing for the country again at the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games just proved too much for him to resist.
And Azman, who suffered from polio since birth, is willing himself for one final fling as he seeks to defend the gold in the quad catego-
ry he last won at the 2011 Indonesia Games.
(Quad class: Players in this class have an impairment affecting their playing arm as well as their legs. This limits their ability to handle the racquet and to move in the wheelchair. You will find that players may use tape to securely grip the racquet.)
Wheelchair tennis has not been held at the Games since 2011. Then, Malaysia won a gold through Azman, two silvers and a bronze.
“This is going to be my last Asean Para Games. I’m not getting any younger,” said Azman.
“I retired after the 2014 Asian Para Games. I failed to win a medal and I was very disappoint- ed with myself.
“But the National Sports Council (NSC) offered me another chance to play at the Games and I’ve been preparing myself since last year.
“I really want to finish with a gold because I want to repay the faith and support given to me over the years.
“Besides, I also want to prove that age and disability is not a barrier in sports.”
Said national wheelchair tennis head coach Mohd Nadir Ashraf: “Azman has shown great initiative since returning to the national team.
“Besides training hard, he also takes the extra efforts to seek sponsors to compete in tournaments.
“It’s not going to be easy for him at the Games as Thailand have younger players in the competition. But Azman has the experience and he’s still the defending champion, He’s one of our targets to win gold.”
There are only four players competing in the quad category. Azman will face three Thais – Pol Janteam, Sombut Yampapha and Nattaporn Taosrisakul – in the round-robin tournament.
Azman’s first match is against Pol at the National Tennis Centre in Jalan Duta today.
Besides Azman, the other Malaysians are Abu Samah Borhan, Ariffahmi Zaquan Ariffin, Muhd Firdaus Ibrahim and Mohd Yusshazwan Yusof. All four will compete in the Open category.
(Open category: designated for athletes, who have a significant and permanent impairment of one or both legs and normal arm function. This profile may match with athletes with paraplegia or leg amputations, for example.)